A few tips from Lisa on what you need to take on your
ski trip and what to look for if buying anything.

Skiing involves you being outside in a mountain
environment in what could be extremely cold and
windy conditions. We all hope for archetypal
“ski brochure” weather of fresh powder snow and
glorious sunshine, and it the Dolomites this is
quite often the case - but, you must be
prepared and dressed for the other possible extreme.

If you are an experienced
skier then you already know what to take. If this is
your 1st ski trip then you may use this list to ensure you
have all the paraphernalia needed for your ski trip.
An important point to remember is that you don't need any "posh" clothing
as the general evening dress code in ski resorts is very relaxed.

This page gives a personal opinion and so you may agree with
it, or not. But everything in the equipment section is
needed - other "stuff" may or may not be, e.g. do you need
a hair dryer, extra disks for your camera, a travel kettle
or (if taking small children) is a pushchair needed, etc.

Unlike virtually all websites giving advice on ski equipment, we don't sell any of the items recommended, so it's as
impartial as you'll find.

Download List

Hand Luggage

Passport

European Health Insurance Card

Flight E Ticket

Ski Insurance Policy

Cash Sterling and Euro

Camera, Mobile Phone, etc

Note

The European Health Insurance Card has replaced the old
Form E111 and is available free from the Post
Office and on-line. More details
>>>

Top Tip

Your ski jacket is the heaviest item in your
luggage. To reduce the weight of your suitcase
you could wear your jacket at the airport.

Thermal T-shirts (your 1st layer)
In the olden days
(around 5 years ago) many people simply piled layer upon layer of
cotton T Shirts underneath a ski jacket. The problem with this
is that the fabric of the layers captured the moister that we all
produce when taking part in any physical activity. When you
cool down so does the moisture within the material thus cooling you
down even more than you would normally. So, when choosing
your base layer, ensure that the material has been specifically
designed to transport moisture away from the body (this is know as Wicking).
If it’s going to be a cold day (check the forecast with the hotel reception
at breakfast) you may want to wear a Thermal T Shirt. There
are many types of thermals but, in general they should be quite
close fitting (but not too tight) so they trap the air next to your
skin forming a warm barrier against the outside temperature.

Pants
In addition to the Thermal T-shirt you may also want to consider a set
of Thermal Pants (long-Johns), although if you have a reasonable
good quality pair of Salopettes (see below) then these are
not normally needed.

Ski Socks
You “will” need an ample supply of ski socks (most experienced skiers
pack enough for 1 pair per day). These are not just normal
socks that are thicker, but are specifically designed for skiing and
to keep your feet warm and dry. Some (good quality) socks have
padded areas to help protect your feet against any hard knocks.
Some (excellent quality) socks have variable thickness. As an
example the thickness of the material will be thin under the arches and thicker
over the end of your toes. These socks are a good investment
if you suffer from cold feet or even if you just want to ensure your
feet are warm.

Fleece (your 2nd layer)
This is what you wear on top of your base layer. The reason for a
second layer is that it will retain body heat by creating a (warm)
layer of air trapped within the material creating a barrier between
you and the outside environment. Normally a second layer is
either a fleece jacket or thick pile shirt. Don’t wear
anything too bulky as this will impede your movements and will not
fit comfortably under your ski jacket.

Ski suit
Think ..... Looks Good – Water/Snow proof – Warm - Windproof – Breathable
You will need a set of ski trousers (salopettes) and a jacket.
You can still obtain (in some old fashioned shops) a single full
suit, but best not to get one of these - going to the loo is a real
pain, also with a two piece suit you can remove the jacket if you
get too warm, so a two piece suit is by far the best option.
Over the past few years ski suits have undergone rapid development
in both design and functionality. BUT, if you have a choice
always go for functionality. It is no good if your ski suit
“looks” really good but you’re cold when on the slopes. There are
vast differences in quality and cost in the range of ski suits
available BUT don’t forget (if this is your 1st ski
holiday) you can always hire a good quality suit for around 5% of
the cost of buying one. Many ski shops in the UK will hire you a suit
or be able to recommend a local hire shop. Don’t forget to try it on “before” you agree to hire it

What to look for in ski suit
For a start, don’t believe the words, shower-proof, rain-resistant,
weather-proof, etc, etc (the list gets bigger as each marketing dept comes
up with another phrase) and all the other phrases manufactures use to
basically say, This suit is NOT waterproof. Why do they do this,
simple – there is a binding ISO standard that garments must have before they
can call something “water-proof”, which is ISO 811 (and BS EN 20811). So
make sure it’s Waterproof.

Tex'es
Gortex is OK but watch out for WayneTex, RainTex, SnowTex and any other
Tex'es you can think of. Some of them work, most don't (especially WayneTex
:-).

If possible get a jacket with a hood and “lots” of pockets.
You will end up carrying a vast amount of “stuff” whilst you are
skiing. Lip Balm, Sun cream, Mobile Phone, Camera, Woolly Hat,
Money, Goggles or Sun Glasses (you will be wearing the other one),
etc, etc so lots of big pockets are a major bonus.

Separate page explaining the points to look for where buying a ski jacket
>>>

If possible (when skiing in Europe) try and get a jacket
with a small pocket on the left arm for your lift pass.
Most European resorts now have automatic barriers on all
lifts which are opened by passing your lift pass over a
large sensor (normally on the left). Being able to
simply brush your left arm across the sensor will mean
you don’t need to continually scramble for your pass at
each lift – and so there is no chance of forgetting to replace
your “very” expensive lift pass back into your pocket.
All lifts in Folgarida have the automatic barriers.

Your Salopettes should be large enough at
the base to fit snugly over your ski boots. Most good quality
Salopettes have in-built gaiters – these will stop snowing going up
inside and then down into your boots. Don’t forget, big
pockets are a good thing.

Breathability.
There are many websites that will give you various reasons why
clothing material is “breathable”. The physics are quite
complicated but the basics are simple. You are warm and the
outside world is colder. This causes a difference in pressure that pushes
warm air through the garment. As the warm air contains moisture this is
also pushed out. The reason moisture
can be pushed out whilst still maintaining the water-proofing is
that water droplets are much bigger than moister molecules.
Water-proof garments are made from material with close knit fabric
where the gaps between the fibres are small enough to stop the rain
coming in but big enough to allow the moisture out.

Ski, Boots and Poles
I am not going to say much here about skis, boots or poles.
I could fill many pages with the technical requirements for these
items and the differing designs and shapes. Hopefully you will have
got advice and bought the correct gear. You don't really need
to buy any gear as it is available in all ski resorts for a small
charge (except in France where it's "big" charge) and in this
case the experts in the hire shop will ensure you have the correct
equipment.

The only advice I would give is that if you want to buy some ski equipment then ensure
that you take advice from an expert. Remember that “some”
people in ski shops are experts and “some” don’t really understand
what they are selling? I really did over-hear a salesman in a
branch of a well known national chain in the UK, informing someone
that the Din settings printed on to ski poles were not
really important and that is was something to do with the printing
of the design. Hmmmm – enough said.

HelmetDead (?) simple this bit, wearing a helmet may save your
life.
A helmet will vastly reduce head trauma and brain injury
if you hit something (or something or someone hits you).

A doctor friend of
mine who works in a major casualty department, and so is used to all
the scrapes, bumps and bends that happen to people when they bang
into something, told me that he could fix most things that go wrong
with the human body but once your head is dented (his words) you
have a big problem that probably can't be sorted. Anyone
skiing without a helmet is just asking for trouble.

It is a legal
requirement that all children skiing in Italy (and
some other countries) wear a helmet at all times whilst skiing.
There is an on-the-spot fine for parents of children caught skiing
without a helmet.
If you have asked
us to supply either skis or snowboard and you are under 16 on the
date of arrival in resort we will provide you with a helmet for
free.

If you buy a
helmet. Have a look at the label and ensure that it conforms
to EN 1077.
You must ensure that it fits snugly so it will not swivel around
whilst you are wearing it and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, when skiing make
sure the chin strap is fastened.

Ski gloves
It is important that you keep your hands warm (and dry) whilst on
the slopes. Ski gloves are specifically designed for skiing, so
don't bring an old pair of woolly gloves. Try and get a pair
with a fleece or synthetic lining, so you can take them out to
wash/dry them.
Unless you want to go racing around ski posts (like on Ski Sunday)
you don't need Kevlar knuckle pads. However some padding on
the outside is a good idea but not too much. Your gloves should
reach up your arm past your wrists, this will keep the snow out. Most modern gloves are
adjustable with Velcro straps.

Ski Hat
Not for skiing
(you'll hopefully be wearing a helmet for this) but you'll need a
warm hat for sitting around on the slopes, cafes, bars and also for
the evening - it can get "very" cold at night in a ski resort.

Ski goggles and sun glasses
It would be best to take both a pair of
goggles "and" a pair of glasses. Even when its overcast the
extra UV light (due to the altitude and reflection from the snow)
can cause damage to your eyes.
If you can't afford both then get a set of goggles.

Glasses
Ski sun glasses are not the same as those you may wear in the
summer. The lenses are fitted into the frames so they will
"pop-out" in the event of an impact. They offer a greater
level of protection from UV than most summer glasses. If you
normally wear corrective glasses you must obtain a set of sun
glasses from your optician.

Goggles
If it's snowing or overcast you can have a situation known as
"flat-light" which is where it is difficult to make out features on
the slopes. Skiing (at any speed) requires that you can see where
you're going, so modern goggles have lenses that will help to cope with
this. In the event of
it snowing whilst you are up on the slopes, a pair of goggles will
stop falling snow going into your eyes. Try and get some
"anti-fog" lenses. These will be double glazed and have a
venting system - this will normally be a thin gauze membrane at the
top and bottom of the goggles. The venting system will allow
air to circulate and so reduce misting up. Always carry a
small cloth to wipe the inside of the goggles if they do get missed
up. Goggles are available that fit over corrective glasses.

Sun Protection (block/cream and lip balm)
Get a high factor sun cream (VERY
high for children). The skin damage caused by sunlight is much
higher on a ski slope than it would normally be elsewhere due to the light
also being reflected upwards from the snow and the decreased
atmospheric protection due to the altitude. Apply the sun
cream to "all" exposed areas, face, neck, ears, bald patches, etc.
Repeatedly re-apply the cream throughout the day. If you are in
any doubt about the factor you should get, go for total block.
Better safe than sorry.
You lips can become dry and cracked very quickly due to the wind and
sun if you don't apply lip balm.

Flip-flops or sandalsThese are a good idea - if you have them. When your come back
from skiing you will place your boots in the boot room and this
tends to have a wet floor - due to everyone's boots carrying in
snow. A pair of sandals are much easier to put on (over your
thick skiing socks) than a pair of trainers.